Brexit: Devolved Administrations

Lord Morris of Aberavon Excerpts
Tuesday 24th October 2017

(6 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Anelay of St Johns Portrait Baroness Anelay of St Johns
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Absolutely right, my Lords.

Lord Morris of Aberavon Portrait Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)
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My Lords, is it not a principle of good governance that powers once devolved should not be lightly withdrawn? Does the Minister agree that it is not beyond the wit of parliamentary counsel, properly instructed, to draft proposals to maintain the status quo and to provide for the interregnum in the meantime?

Baroness Anelay of St Johns Portrait Baroness Anelay of St Johns
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The noble and learned Lord, as ever, makes an important contribution on these matters. We are listening to discussions about the drafting of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill arising out of amendments tabled in another place. It is the intention of this Bill that no decisions currently taken by the devolved Administrations will be removed from them. Each and every part of the noble and learned Lord’s intervention is key to our decision to draft the Bill as it currently stands.